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A product to try. Not extremely pigmented but it looks good over a lipstick

on contrary to many reviews i've read about this product, i don't find it has a strong chemical smell or if it stings that bad. my packaging claimed a new vanilla fragrance so i'm not quite sure if this is really new or not. of course i'm not smelling it directly from the tip but i don't find it strong as far for the staying power i was really surprised, i was wearing a cheap lipstick and toped it with lipcote and went for some drinks and after about 4 hours of that jazz my lipstick was the same! it never happened to me before. i don't think the lips look dry but you can definitely feel a film on them that wrinkles a bit. the only downside was when i clean my mouth with a napkin and the product started to come off like little lumps. that drives me crazy so i clean my whole lips before a meal and after it i apply the lipstick+lipcote again. but i don't like to eat while wearing lipstick anyway so its no big thing. by its price, i recommend trying it.

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Does the job

WHAT IS IT?Lipcote is a clear 'varnish' to seal your lipstick, and vastly increase the length of time it lasts.I use the term varnish, because it's a clear liquid presented very like a Nail Varnish, in a small glass bottle with a brush attached to the screw-top. Using the term varnish also will begin to suggest to you that it is very much NOT a lip balm or gloss!

HOW IS IT USED?It's works like a nail varnish topcoat and is used after lipstick is applied to seal it. You apply your lipstick as usual, and should blot it, then apply the Lipcote on top using the brush. You keep your lips apart (and ideally not near your teeth)for a few seconds while it dries.It is important to wipe the brush before you put it back into the bottle - (the instructions do say this) otherwise traces of lipstick will get back into the bottle, and (through youthful experience years ago!) colour the liquid, form a sludge in the bottom, thicken the liquid and make it less effective - and generally YUK!

DOES IT WORK?YES! I find it works best if you don't put too much lipstick on, and also not too much Lipcote - it can flake off if you do. It also works best with less greasy lipsticks I've found. It doesn't add shine, if anything it maybe takes some shine off (but not frosting). I've not used in on top of a really glossy lipstick as I don't use them.It is BRILLIANT if you are going out for a meal, or for a special night out and want to be able to drink without transferring lots of lipstick to your glass (not a great look), or have that awful 'stripe' where it wears off at the middle! It's perfect going to a wedding as you can be confident that whenever you are 'snapped' you'll still be looking good!

WHERE'S THE CATCH?(There has to be one, let's face it otherwise everyone would use it all the time by now! - although of course lipstick manufacturers don't really want you to use it!). It DOES dry your lips out a bit - as it's drying it can sting a bit, and sometimes feels as though your lips are shrinking or puckering up! This probably makes it sound worse than it is - I've occasionally had a slight stinging sensation, which has soon gone - but I think that is when my lips have been in less good condition, and also if I've put more on. I think that because of this sensation, t is easy to blame your lip condition on the Lipcote (you could argue that if it keeps your lipstick on longer when out in the cold it could be protecting them???) I now use it more than I ever did - most days - as I get older I rely on lipstick more! I make sure I use Lip Balm at night, and try to do so if I go outside without lipstick on at other times, but I'm not too consistent and I don't have a problem.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD DO THE JOB?I have tried the Rimmel alternative - Lipstick Lock and I found that it smelt a LOT worse - it also seemed to make my lips drier, I'm sure it stung more - and wasn't any better - so I've gone back to Lipcote.I've tried some of the two-part long-life lipsticks, generally they work nearly as well, but I don't think last as long. If you don't like the drying effects of Lipcote, then you'd be better to stick to these. I found that the 'Felt-tip' like Collection 2000 'Colour Pout' dried my lipstick up more

WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?I would recommend anyone to try it, unless you have really sensitive lips. Even if you keep it for occasions when you just want to look your best, for longer!

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Not for me personally but others may find it suitable

Lipcote calls itself "Lipstick's best friend", no really, it does!

I hadn't thought about Lipcote literally for a couple of decades as I have mostly been wearing fabulous lipsticks which didn't need an additional lip coat. I am very fussy about lipstick, in that I don't like to wear lippie which leaves telltale signs all over drinking glasses, etc. When I wear my lipstick I want it to stay put for most of the day or evening without thinking about having to touch it up every hour or so and without having to worry if I kiss a friend or a young child on the cheek that it leaves a big lip imprint on their face.

Anyway, back to Lipcote. I'd actually forgotten about this product having not had the need for it for years but having recently acquired several lipsticks including some rather expensive ones as gifts in recent times I didn't want them to sit in the makeup box not being used and eventually thrown away as they were too old. So when I was browsing in Boots recently I asked a lovely a assistant to recommend something and she led me to Lipcote, saying she'd been using it herself for some time and was very happy with it. At £3.69 it was a very decent price for what I hoped to get out of it and the packaging claims that it has 100 applications per bottle so I eagerly purchased it and took it home to try it out all over again. The fact that it was badged with "New Vanilla Fragrance" slightly put me off but the retail assistant said it was really not noticeable (she was right). Anything that claimed to stop lipstick marking, staining and feathering was worth a try.

Lipcote is delivered to you in a 7ml bottle - similar looking to and not to be mistaken for a nail polish top coat! The Lipcote product itself is almost clear in colour with a slightly yellow hue to it. The bottle lid is a twist on and off and easy to open and close. The name Lipcote is emblazoned across the front of the bottle vertically and on the reverse is the company logo, address, 7ml plus a small code.

The packaging states "Lipcote is against animal testing. Lipcote contains alcohol and must be kept away from open flames."

~*~APPLICATION~*~

To apply the Lipcote you need to first apply your lipstick to your lips. It's advised to blot your initial lipstick with a tissue, then reapply your lipstick and blot again. Then you just brush the Lipcote over your lipstick on both upper and lower lips evenly. It's suggested that you apply the Lipcote beyond the edges of your lipstick. Lips should be kept apart whilst the Lipcote dries but it dries very quickly - within 15-20 seconds so don't worry about looking like a fish for 5 minutes...

The Lipcote packaging has some "Lip Tips" printed which advise you apply foundation as a base to your lipstick before using Lipcote and to use a lip liner too.

~*~DOES IT WORK? ~*~

Yes it does indeed work. The Lipcote does exactly what it's supposed to do in that it keeps your lipstick in place and saves you from the embarrassing tell-tale signs left on glasses or cigarettes, etc. This is, of course, if that's what you're after in a lip coat. Also one the Lipcote is dry, you can't even tell you have lipstick on, i.e. there's no sticky feeling. You can literally just forget that you're wearing lipstick and a lip coat. It does last a good 4-5 hours before you really feel you have to apply your lipstick again which is not ideal but isn't too bad longevity either.

BUT and here are the issues for me: Lipcote gives your lipstick a very matt look. No matter how glossy a lipstick I wear or how many coats I've tried with Lipcote leaves my lips looking almost dry but definitely matt. There is no evidence of shine or gloss whatsoever. The other issue is that if you have dry or cracked lips this is not a product to use. If you have cracked lips and you apply this over your lipstick, it will sting like mad whilst it dries and may bring tears to your eyes. This is only an issue with cracked lips as it doesn't cause any negative sensation most of the time. Also if your lipstick is blotchy and not applied evenly this will show through the Lipcote and really gives an unpleasant look to your makeup.

It does take a bit of practice to get it right using Lipcote and I've been semi-pleased with the results but it's not a patch on my previous lipsticks which have a lip sealant included so I'm not sure I'm going to be using this as regularly as I would have liked to. I would also add that having worn this on evening outs and seen photos of myself in the earlier part of the evening and just 2 hours later, the effect really isn't what I would expect from a decent lip sealant.

~*~ABOUT LIPCOTE~*~

Lipcote has been around since the 1950s. They are the original company who developed lipstick sealer products and nowadays the range includes coloured lipsticks too. To find about more about the company and its products you can visit their website at www.lipcote.com.

~*~RATING~*~

My personal rating for Lipcote is 2 out of 5 stars. The hunt continues for a more glossy lip sealant product to wear over my existing lipsticks.

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A great little product to extend the life of your lipstick keeping that made up look.

Back in 1998, I was first introduced into this little wonder liquid called lipcote. I lived in a student house for a year with 4 other girls. It was a lovely time of learning new things off each other, such as how to cook, or new exciting toiletries that I had never come across before myself. One such product was lipcote - I first discovered it then and I have been using it ever since.

Lipcote is a sealer designed to be put on after you apply lipstick in order to make it last longer. My original bottle of product which I bought back then still had some in, but I recently won a new bottle in a competition run by Glamour magazine, so I thought it was probably about time to throw the old one out. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but purely because it was so old and I had a nice new one.

The product is available in places like Boots for between £3 and £4 for 7ml of product. While this doesn't sound a lot, you apply so little per use, that even if you wore this daily I could see this amount lasting a long time. My last bottle used to get used up to about 5 times per week when I was a student, but then when I graduated it sat in my make up bag for the occasional times I want to wear lipstick. I don't wear make up daily, so it has lasted the course. My last bottle had a bit of discolouration to it from transfer of lipstick into the bottle but other than that it still worked effectively as it always had.

My new bottle came inside a cardboard outer packaging with a bit extra information such as tips for using the product. This is a british made product, the packaging proudly states. It has simple packaging with pairs of glamourous lips featured prominently across it.

I have used this for many years but never exactly follow the instructions on the pack. You are advised to firstly apply foundation to your lips and blot them. Then line your lips with a lip pencil and blot again. Finally, apply your lipstick and blot this, before adding a coat of lipcote over the top. I tend to just do the third step of applying lipstick, but I apply two coats of lipstick blotting each coat on a piece of tissue.

The lipcote is a clear liquid in a tube. The tube has a screw top lid and inside the handle is a little brush. This brush is then used to apply the liquid to your lips. The brush is pretty small compared to one you would get in a nail varnish for comparison. Here, the brush is perfectly sized to apply a thin coat of this to just your lip area. I find it extremely easy to apply, and I am not the most steady handed when it comes to applying make up usually. If you go over the edge of the lips a little it doesn't matter as it is clear.

The lipcote can sting a little on lips as it is mainly alcohol based. I find this stinging is less apparent in this newer version than the older one I had so I don't know if the product has been tinkered with over the years, but it felt nicer to use than my first tube. Maybe my lips are just in better condition at the moment.

Apparently my new tube is also vanilla fragranced. This is not something that I found noticeable when using it. I thought it still smelt of alcohol to me.

Something that I recommend if using this product is that you take a second to wipe off the brush before putting it back in the liquid. I tend to only wear a couple of different lipsticks in similar shades anyway, but with the best will in the world, some of your lipstick will stick to the brush, and if you put it in the lipcote it goes from being a watery colour to a tinged colour with whatever colour you have been wearing. Just taking that second to wipe the brush clean(er) after use minimises this a bit. I tend to just wipe it across the tissue I blotted my lipstick on as it is there still anyway from the previous step, and this is enough to work for me.

Apparently there is about 100 applications in the little bottle. I think that there might even be more, as like I say my last bottle had been used a lot and it was still about half full when I binned it.

Lipcote state that they are against animal testing and that the product is made from vegetarian natural extracts. They do advise that you test this on the back of your hand before applying to lips to check if your are sensitive to it, and not to use it if any tingling lasts longer than momentarily. I have never found it lasts more than about a minute at most myself, and it is bearable if a little unpleasant.

One thing I can't find on the packaging is any information about when to discard. Usually products say something like discard 12 months after opening. My last bottle must have been 15 years old and was still usable. All I can say is, alcohol is a preservative, so I can only assume that there is nothing in there that can go off and I will use this one probably until it runs out, which may take another 15 years the rate I get through it.

This is something that I like to keep in my make up bag for one simple reason - it really works. I usually find that blotting alone can get me maybe 2 hours out of a lipstick, but by adding this, I get about 6 hours from it or maybe more if it is a harder lipstick. If I am going out, I don't want to be reapplying my lipstick every couple of hours. A couple of times through the night is bearable, and this product gives me the long lasting look that I want from any lipstick. Therefore, I can only recommend this with a full five stars. Such a cheap product and it is long lasting and helps me get more from my lipstick products. It is an essential for me.

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This is a very good and useful product

WHAT IS IT?

A clear coat to brush over your lipstick to seal it on your lips and help stop it rubbing off or fading so quick.

HOW DO YOU USE IT?

You apply your lipstick as normal and then blot your lips. Unscrew the lid of the Lipcote bottle and inside there is a brush like on a nail polish bottle. Brush the Lipcote over your lipstick and let it dry.

DOES IT WORK

I have used Lipcote for many years for my own make up and that of my clients. It works very well for most of the time but on very few occasions it does not and I do not know if it's the lipstick or the lady's skin that stops it working. Some people cannot stand the tingling feeling it gives your lips because it is quite a strong sensation and hurts a little bit sometimes. I think my lipstick stays brighter for quite a lot longer and if I apply 2 coats of Lipcote it is at least 1 hour extra time I have of my lipstick before I have to reapply it.

WHAT I THINK

I think Lipcote is a very good product that works very well. I always recommend it for my wedding parties because a bride needs her make up to look good for as long as possible, what I like about Lipcote is that it helps the lipstick to last for longer but it keeps the colour bright and stops it fading gradual.

It does not feel very nice to apply because of how it tingles and it does sting sometimes. It is very drying to my lips also so I try not to use it very often and that is a pity because it works so well and I would like to be able to use it every day. I dislike the smell also because it is like nail polish remover and not pleasing to use so near to your nose and mouth.

I use it if I am going out at night and am wearing bright lipstick because it keeps it looking smart so that I have not got to keep checking it and going to the bathroom to apply my lipstick all the time. I use it also if I have got a lot of appointments in the day because very often I am offered a cup of coffee and I do not like to leave lipstick marks on other peoples cups, Lipcote is very good at stopping my lipstick from transferring to cups and glasses so that is a very big advantage for me.

ANYTHING ELSE

Lipcote comes in a small 7ml bottle and costs about £3. That is very good value because a bottle lasts for a long time even if you use it every day.

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A perfect product for my lipstick and me, four stars for the little niggles that I have.

***Why I want the product*** I think everyone has guessed I am a lip product obsessed kinda girl. I have lipsticks ranging from reds, pinks, nudes and subtle browns. But there is one thing about wearing lipsticks I have a real pet hate with. The dreaded transfer onto cups that leave a lovely ring around the edge of the cup or glass with your lipstick all around it. I believe it is also a pet hate of my husband who likes to point out "You've left your lips on that cup." Thanks love.

When I am wearing a lipstick I like it to stay on for as long as possible without the need for touching up every five minutes, and besides you sometimes cannot always touch up all the time so it leaves you all looking nice with bare lips.

I bought Lipcote when I was a teenager but never really got on with it, I might have been applying it wrong and I certainly did not appreciate this product until I got older.

***About the product*** Lipcote was born in the 1950's and is the original lipstick sealer. A true beauty staple for many woman all over the world. It is formulated to protect every shade of lip colour for a smudge, feather and fade proof finish. This product is loved by celebrities, beauty professionals, journalists and of course us.

***Packaging*** Lipcote comes in a cardboard box that tells you all the relevant information with regards to about the product and how to apply.

The product comes in a see through/frosted glass with 7ml of product inside its circular rectangle container with a red screw off lid with indentations going up the lid that makes it easier to unscrew. Apparently the brand new version of Lipcote has a gold screw off lid. The liquid inside is clear and you can see the brush inside, which looks like a nail polish brush.

***Applying and did it do what it says on the tin? *** Lipcote says the best type of formula lipsticks to use with Lipcote is matte, satin and sheen. With lipsticks that are not of these formulas such as shiny or other formulas. When Lipcote is applied over the top it can loose grip, sometimes ball up and not get a great finish that lasts. However, I have used shiny lipsticks with this product but blotted before applying a thin coating. It seemed to work but when the brush glides over the lipstick it is like the brush takes away some of the lipstick and you end up looking patchy, uneven and a mess. I have found a way around this that sometimes works and that is to apply, blot, apply Lipcote, wait for it to dry and gently tap the lipstick back onto the lips and re-apply Lipcote.

Okay so onto application, the first time I tried this product I rushed and honestly thought 'How hard can it be?' and it came off in a couple of hours. Mostly due to not blotting, lipstick layer was too thick and I think I applied too much of Lipcote.

The instructions are simple enough to follow, apply your chosen lipstick and blot with a tissue, repeat. Evenly apply Lipcote that is quick to dry over and slight beyond your lipstick line. Feel the tingle to let you know it is working. Keep your lips apart while the product sets.

Unscrewing the red lid the smell hits you like a tone of bricks, it smells like strong nail polish and what can be described as the polish you put on your nails that taste nasty when you want to stop biting your nails. Whenever I apply any lip products I always apply a nude lip liner and fill my lips in with it as this makes lip products last that little longer. I followed the instructions to the letter, applied lipstick, blot, and repeat. Applied a thin layer and yes the product did sting my lips but this lasted for a few seconds and not a sting where you feel uncomfortable. I parted my lips and waited for the product to dry completely, which I would say takes around 30 seconds. Lipcote itself does not feel at all heavy on my lips; it almost feels as if I am applying water to my lips it feels that lightweight.

If you rub your lips together or have a drink before Lipcote has completely dried the product will come off and you will have to start again. When completely dry I could rub my lips together and it felt smooth, the product allows the sheen of the lipstick or lip product to come through and my lips looked hydrated rather than dry that some products of this formula can leave them. The horrible smell evaporates every quickly as well. I was then left to eat, drink, kiss and have fun without worrying about my lip colour transferring or me having to re-apply every few seconds, or so I thought. I found for the majority of the time Lipcote is a fantastic product, there was no transfer at all onto cups, glasses, kissing or long lengths of talking. However, eating is a different matter. I found it does not matter what type of food I ate, if I managed to get any food onto my lips or even the cutlery touching my lips it was like reaction between the product and the food that made Lipcote almost dissolve and come off in clumps. So I always had to take my lipstick off, re-do every step and start again. It is the same in a restaurant or just want to clean your mouth with a napkin. If you are not careful you will again wipe the product off. Lipcote is not bullet proof but does the job.

When my lips are not in tip top condition or even feeling a little dry with lipstick alone I can get away with it, however, when I apply Lipcote over the top the product accentuates the problem to the point where I take it all off and apply lipstick alone. I have not found the product to dry my lips out at all but I do try to keep them conditioned as much as I can, if I think they are not conditioned enough I have applied a balm the night before and straight before I apply my lipstick. I then blot and then applied Lipcote with no problems at all. In fact because Lipcote seals in the balm and lipstick together I find it to actually help to hydrate my lips more through the day. Lipcote is a product that never feels like I have something extra on my lips or a film that coats my lips.

I have found with Lipcote if I am wearing a really soft lipstick like No7 Moisture Drench or No17 Mirror Shine On lipstick for example, with the brush it can sometimes wipe some product away when gliding it over the lips, even when I apply gently and as softly as I can. I have found with this is to apply Lipcote around the edge of the lips and then apply a drop in the middle of my lips then continue to gently rub lips together to spread the product out evenly.

A tip is when you have applied Lipcote over your lips, wipe the brush on a clean tissue so when you dip the brush back into the bottle you will not leave lipstick residue inside the bottle.

When wearing Lipcote my lipstick usually lasts around four to five hours with a slight sign of breaking down when I am not eating, which I think is excellent to say the average length of a lipstick can be a hour of you are lucky. I then wipe my lipstick off and re-apply, the whole process can take me two to three minutes but it can be done quicker.

***Price and availability*** Lipcote can be purchased from boots.com or superdrug.com for a reasonable price of £3.69. I have found this to be the regular price in most stores, but prices vary on sites such as eBay and Amazon.co.uk.

***What I think about it/do I like it?*** I do like Lipcote a lot and think it is perfect for any lipstick wearer, but I do wish the brush was softer and I could wear my beloved lipsticks while eating. I do not know if it is something I am doing wrong but on readings other reviews across the Internet it seems I am not the other one with this problem.

***Would I purchase again?*** Oh yes of course I would purchase again, it is a great product that is perfect for me and my lips. I have had my bottle for four months and mostly use every single day. I can see a single Lipcote lasting me at least 12 months.

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don't use this regularly - great for one offs

This works great for me if you follow the instructions on the pack really carefully - blot, lipstick, reapply, blot again, then apply lipcote. I would add 2 more steps to this - moisturise before and press some balm on with fingers after - it is really really drying. If you have chapped lips it will sting really badly too and it doesn't smell pretty (or taste nice!) when you first put it on - but that does go away. (I have heard rumours of a vanilla flavoured one - not personally confirmed though).I wouldn't recommend this for regular use - but if you're going out for a meal or a party etc. then it's a must because the last thing you want is to spend all night in the ladies finishing your tube of lipstick. This will fix that. I have actually managed to get through a whole meal wearing bright red lipstick with negligible fading.

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A decent lip colour sealer if you have well moisturised lips

Lipcote is a beauty staple, sealing in lipstick colour for hours on end and preventing the need to reapply. The bottle i bought was around £3 on Amazon.

APPEARANCEThe Lipcote comes in a small glass bottle with a simple twist off lid. It's a clear bottle which allows you to see the Lipcote liquid within and therefore see how much is left. The bottle features black lettering and comes in a seperate box with more details on the ingredients in Lipcote. It's an average looking product which is easily found, due to being a glass bottle, in your make up bag.

DOES IT WORK?Lipcote does work to an extent, sealing five of my lipsticks securely out of the seven i tried it on. By 'sealing' I mean my lipstick lasted for at least 6 hours. However, despite sealing my lipstick, i did find it dried out my lips. I would definitely advise making sure your lips are completely moisturised before applying your lipstick - but make sure your lips are not too wet either, as this can prevent the seal from working.

* A good lip colour sealer* Make sure lips are moisturised - but not too wet - before applying lipstick* Does not work with lip glosses

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I'll use this once in a blue moon.

I recently resubscribed to glossy box (quickly google if you don't know what this is!) and in my first box I received a full sized version of lipcote. It is always great to get something that is full sized in these boxes as so often they are just samples.

I thought it was a little weird that this was one of the items because glossy box tend to send new, upcoming or luxury products - and lipcote is none of these. In fact it's been around for years, I can remember my sister owning one when she was about 15 so we are talking at least 10 years ago. I was still keen t try the products as I knew it was fairly cheap and if it was good then I had a new product to add to my must haves.

I'm not a massive lip stick wearer and this is mainly because I worry about smudging, fading and reapplying. The point of lipcote is that it goes over your lip colour to seal it, this then prevents smudging, feathering and fading and as such means less frequent application. I was quite excited to use this because I knew that if it worked I might feel more confident to wear lipstick out and about.

The lipcote comes in a cream coloured rectangular shaped box that is patterned with some very pale green lines (these could be a floral design but it is hard to tell because they stretch all around the box). On two sides of this box are the name of the brand written in a pretty script writing and a pair of bright red lips. One another side you have a little bit of info and directions for use and on the final side there are ingredients and information for contacting lipcote. The box design isn't exactly revolutionary, nor will it win any style awards. It is basic and frankly it looks a little old and fusty.

The bottle itself isn't much better. It looks a little like a tall, narrow nail polish bottle. The bottle is cylindrical and made from glass. It has a twist on cheap gold plastic lid and from this suspends the white plastic bristle brush. The brush is made from synthetic bristles which are relatively fine and soft. The colour of the lipcote liquid doesn't really help because it is a pale yellowy colour and this just looks terrible in combination with the cheap gold plastic. My mind literally boggles when I see products that look like this because it simply wouldn't cost much more to make it into a very cute and attractive little bottle. Oh well...I suppose if it works it works right?

So that was my big questions...does it work? I have to say the contents of the bottle smells TERRIBLE. It has a really strong chemical smell to it which if you get too close is a little intoxicating. I would liken it to something like surgical spirit. I probably don't need to say this but I felt pretty reluctant to put something that smelt so terrible anywhere near my mouth. I do really worry about products like this that clearly have such a chemical content, it makes me worry about potentially negative effects for my skin and really doesn't do anything to improve my perception of the brand.

Applying this it actually burns your lips and smells worse close up. I can't believe they are still selling a product that smells, looks and feels so terrible. I did find that as long as I'd applied a decent amount of lipstick the lipcote tended to burn a little less and once it had dried it did seal my lipstick relatively well. I wouldn't say there would be no smudging, fading etc but it probably does reduce it somewhat. I did find, however, that the lipcote reduced the sheen you get from a lip colour and left my lips looking a little matte. This isn't necessarily the end of the world but did dampen the look a little.

The lipcote costs roughly £3.50 from most cosmetic retailers which is a pretty cheap price for something that will probably last a lifetime. I don't expect to be using it all the time, but will probably endure the terrible smell and burning for a night out. It hasn't boosted my lipstick confidence, but I suppose it is a last resort...oh how we suffer for beauty.

Overall, really terrible smell, feel and look but for a special night out I could probably suffer through this.

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Does what it says, but using Lipcote is not very satisfying.

I recently received in my Glossybox a full sized sample of Lipcote. This is not a product I'd usually try as I'm more of a lipgloss than lipstick kinda girl. However I also received a lipstick in my box and thought fate must be trying to tell me something. Lipcote is meant to seal lipstick and make it last longer. It supposedly also stops lipstick from feathering. I applied the lipstick (a very glam pink if you must know!) and opened up the box to use Lipcote. The first problem was that the instructions were printed inside the box, making it very difficult to read exactly how to apply the product. It looked reasonably simple however, with a glass vial of clear liquid and a brush inside. I guessed all I had to do was brush it onto my lips.

Upon screwing open the lid however the whiff of chemicals hit me. This smells much more like a nail polish remover than anything intended to go onto your lips. Pretty unpleasant stuff - so much so that I read the packaging again to make sure that using it on the lips was its intended use. You are supposed to brush a thin line of the product around your lips before brushing the rest of your lips with the product (you should blot excess lipstick off first) Already having put on the lipstick I decided to be brave and put the Lipcote on. The awkwardly written instructions told me that it was working when I could feel tingling. TINGLING MY BACKSIDE - MY LIPS WERE ON FIRE! (get your minds out of the gutter)

This hell lasted about six seconds before my lips went back to normal. The lipstick didn't look any different for having applied the Lipcote but pretty soon my lips felt dry and looking into the mirror I could see some of my lipstick had clumped together (even after blotting!) After I got rid of the clumped lipstick the Lipcote made my lipstick stay put much longer than I've previously experienced with lipsticks. I'd reckon my lipstick looked perfect for about five hours without having to reapply. I did put it to the test too: eating, drinking, pursing my lips, brushing my teeth and kissing my boyfriend (and my cat!) I didn't even leave a stain around my mug when I was having a cuppa.

As far as this product goes it does work at sealing lipstick and it does stop feathering. I've tried it with the few lipsticks that I own and have found that it doesn't alter the shade of lipstick. It does dry out lips and having used it on several occasions I can say that the tingling does seem to get less painful - probably because you know what to expect, but it's still not a pleasant experience.

Lipcote is fairly inexpensive at around £3.70 for 7ml in most chemists. It's a handy product, especially for bright shades of lipstick that are prone to fading in the middle and leaving you with a bright ring around the outside of your lips. I probably would recommend it if I wore a lot of lipstick, but if there was something similar on the market that was reasonably priced I'd definitely give that a go instead. It should last ages too since it keeps colour on for hours so at most you'd have to apply it two or three times a day. I would not use the product everyday though due to how dry it made my lips. They needed a really good lip balm after to make them feel soft and hydrated again.

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A product that is a mixed bag. It does keep colour on longer, can cause wear 'issues' eg flaking

I bought my first bottle of Lipcote about 30 years ago when I first started 'going out'. I didn't want to spend half the night re-applying lipstick so on the advice of an aunty I bought this. At the time I thought it worked quite well though with some reservations. So I recently bought a bottle again for a wedding I was attending.

Lipcote is as the name suggests a coat which seals your lipstick colour in giving prolonged wear.

The little bottle has changed from the red lidded version that has been around for decades, and now has a gold coloured lid, as far as I can tell everything else is pretty much the same, though I can't be entirely sure as mine is the red lidded version. It costs £3.19 (for7mls) from Superdrug at the time of writing.

The smell is quite strong, it reminds me a little of old fashioned nail varnish removers, but this scent doesn't last when the product is dry on your lips. The texture is not dissimilar to nail varnish either, though a little thinner. It tastes a little bitter, but not unbearably so, and this taste wears off fairly quickly.

Application is also just like nail varnish; you unscrew the lid and sweep the brush along your lips until they are evenly coated with a thin layer of the product. I find that it stings quite a bit on first application. There is a fairly high alcohol content in this so that may be why. That sensation doesn't last long though, and not as long as the tingle from a lip plumping product would.

The instructions tell you to blot the lips before applying Lipcote and this is an important step as if you have too thick a layer of lipstick on it will pill and flake off rather than fade off, it will also feel tackier once the Lipcote is dry.

I find the brush a little thin and it takes several strokes to coat each lip (don't overdo the Lipcote either as this will also cause excess tackiness and pilling). The way that works best for me I found by accident. I forgot to wipe the brush a little on the edge of the bottle and plopped a big pool of Lipcote in the middle of my bottom lip. Instead of wiping off I instinctively pressed my lips together and I could feel (because of the burn..erm I mean tingle) the Lipcote spread out quickly following the shape of my lips surprisingly accurately, just a gentle wiggle of the lips coated them perfectly. I then kept my lips parted for the drying time (about 5-30ish seconds depending on the lipstick and the thickness of the Lipcote application). This is the way I apply it now and it seems to work well for me giving a thin application.

If you are using this over different coloured lipsticks, which most of us will do over the life of the bottle, then it pays to wipe the brush before dipping it back into the bottle. As the brush picks up some colour from your lips and it will be transferred to the bottle, and colours the liquid a little. I don't think this would be too much of a problem but if you use a lot of pale lipsticks if it might change the base colour a little.

After application my lips stay feeling a little tacky despite thin application, but not much more than lipstick alone would. A thin application of lip balm or gloss can counteract the dry, and even the tacky feeling a little bit, but it does mean that it comes off more quickly and is more likely to ball up and flake.

For me Lipcote only lasts a couple of hours before it starts to look 'tired' and faded, it certainly doesn't take me through a whole day or evening. I can't say it keeps the colour looking fresh throughout wear as the colour quickly becomes 'flat' and loses some of its vibrancy . What it is good at iss preventing transfer. You will not get lippy marks on glass rims or anything else while wearing this, though I would say that if you press your lips against something white like a napkin a faint trace of colour may be left behind.

I have found the same pattern of wear whenever I use it, and to be honest it spends most of its time stuffed in a drawer and rarely taken out. I prefer naked lips or to reapply lip products through the day.

Lipcote is quite drying and isn't a product I would consider wearing every day. Depending on the lipstick it's worn with it can seem more drying sometimes than others, the lipstick also seems to affect the degree to which if flakes or pills, or fades off. Though it is drying my lips recover quickly and it doesn't seem to leave them sore after removal. Despite the fact that it wears off after a few hours it does take some shifting if you want to remove it before it naturally faded away. Something creamy or oily and a good rub will get it off, I can't say how a make up remover will get it off as I don't and wouldn't use one on my lips.

Conclusion

It does keep colour on for a few hours longer than lipstick alone but it doesn't keep it looking fresh moist and newly applied. It doesn't work well over moisturising or glossy lipsticks and of course would be useless over gloss. This is a product I would consider again for formal occasions where you won't always have time to fuss with your lipstick as although I needed to reapply it wasn't as often as would have been required with lipstick alone. I won't bother for everyday wear or nights out, I'd rather top up my colour as normal, have my lips feel soft and comfortable and not have to worry about the possibility of my lipstick 'balling' up.

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Amazing Product!

I bought lipcote in a desperate attempt to keep some of my lipsticks to stay on my lips, I don't mind applying it a few times a day but every half an hour is just riduculous, so I bought lipcote not expecting a great deal.

How wrong I was !

Lipcote is quite cheap, costing only a few pounds. This is very good value, considering how well it works. You can buy it from superdrug and boots on the high street and I'm sure, many other places aswell online.

It is packaged in a red nail varnish looking tube and I was quite wary when first applying it as I was convinced it was nail polish in disguise ! It is a 7ml tube and has a little brush to apply it with. It was simple enough to apply - Put on your lipstick, apply lipcote, let it dry.

After I'd applied it, it kind of tingled on my lips and did kind of make my lips feel slightly dry, after it had COMPLETELY dried, I applied some lipbalm and then it was fine. ( If you apply lipbalm vefore it has dried it will all flake off and not taste nice at all !!

it made my lipstick stay on ALL day ! It did fade slightly after 6 hours of drinking and eating etc. but I was throughly impressed by this little wonder in a bottle !

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Lipcote

I don't tend to wear lipstick too often as find it much easier to apply a coloured lip balm or gloss as it requires alot less accuracy and is generally quicker to do. Though, in the past few weeks I have been lipstick on numerours occasions and generally there are 3 shades I use; a red (mainly for going out/parties/etc), a bright pink (worn in daytime with natural make up as to not make it look over the top) and a pale pink. Personally, I find these colours are some of the hardest to wear, especially red as it tends to bleed or rub off and leave a nasty stain around your mouth.

Therefore, I decided to do a bit of research into how many people keep there lipstick looking perfect all day and the answer seemed to be quite simple; lipcote. After reading other peoples reviews I saw that they claimed it was cheap (always a bonus!) and that it worked (double bonus!) so decided to get myself some. I picked mine up from a local discount store for around £2, which is a bargain, though you can probably also purchase in Boots or Superdrug for the same price or a little more. I have also seen them being sold on Amazon and eBay.

It comes in a smallish nail varnish/ lip gloss looking bottle which is clear with a red lid and is normally 7ml. When you first unscrew the lid you realise it has a nail varnish style brush. The instructions seemed simple enough, you apply your lipstick, blot on tissue and then apply the lipcote evenly.

I followed the instructions and found than when I appled the lipcote. This was easy to do so because the brush made the product easy to use, you just had to make sure you were applying it evenly. Whilst doing this I noticed a tingle / burn to my lips, not too dissimilar to that of a lip plumping gloss, however it bruned a little more. Once I had done this I let it dry.

I expected it to be very drying on the lips and that I'd feel the need to apply lip balm after, however, I was impressed as although they didn't feel particuarly moistured or smooth they did not feel rough or dry. I was also impressed to find that my lipstick didn't bleed or need to be reapplied (yes, even when wearing red!). I did find that the colour was not as bright as what it was at the beggining of the day and did begin to fade, however this was only after a good 4 or 5 hours of chatting, eating and drinking!

Overall I would definitley reccomend this product, it is so cheap to buy and actually works! It keeps your lipstick looking fresh and crisp all day - even better if you use a lip liner as it makes your lips stand out even more!

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Lipcote

The number 1 lipstick sealer

I'm sure every woman suffers from their lipstick coming off and not having enough staying power. There are whole adverts and products devoted to stay put lipstick and the pursuit of the perfect pout. One of the ways to achieve this is with Lipcote. I have used Lipcote for years after one of my school friends told me about it, that's how long it has been around. She wore amazingly bright red lipstick, yes to school and it always stayed on so I asked her what her secret was.

I don't always wear lipstick and prefer just a natural lipgloss look for my day look but at night I do like to wear lipstick. Generally this is when I go out to eat and drink so keeping lipstick on is a must for me as I hate to keep reapplying all the time or lose the nice look I have spent ages trying to achieve.

Lipcote comes in a little bottle almost like a nail varnish bottle and is kind of the same sort of consistency albeit a bit thinner. The liquid comes with a brush and after applying your lipstick you just brush this on as a seal all over your lips. It doesn't really have a taste or a smell to speak of so its not going to make your lips feel or taste funny. Once you have applied it it will take a minute or two to dry so I generally stand there looking like a bit of an idiot with my mouth open hoping my lips don't touch but once dry you are fine to do anything you want, eat, drink and be merry!! It doesn't add any colour or change the appearance of your lipstick in any way so you can use it and still have the original look you were going for.

Lipcote say this is a unique formula made with natural ingredients, not too sure what the ingredients are but I know theres some alcohol in there as this will sting if applied to chapped or cut lips so I would definitely avoid using it in those circumstances. A little bottle costs £3.35 and I would say lasts a few months of on and off use.

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Great value for money product

This month I was lucky enough to win a couple of prizes from a competition Glamour magazine ran in May. One of my prizes was this, Lipcote's lipstick sealer.

I do wear makeup on a daily basis, but I am not the type of person who constantly reapplies their lipstick. It goes on once in a morning before I leave the house, and usually that is it unless I remember to reapply at some point during the day.

I tend to wear the same lipstick everyday because it took me a long time to find a colour I really liked. The lipstick is not an expensive one, and only stays on my lips for about an hour before wearing off.

I had heard of Lipcote in the past, and had actually won it previously, but never really tried it properly as I have only regularly started wearing lipstick in the last couple of years.

The idea of Lipcote really appeals to me as somebody who cannot be bother to be constantly reapplying lipstick and I could not wait to try it out.

The product comes in minimal packaging. It is contained within a small rectangular cardboard box which is pink in colour. On two sides of the box is the Lipcote logo. On the third side is ingredient information and contact details, and on the final side some information about the lipstick sealer.

"Give your lipstick staying power!If your lipstick is more like lipslip, you need Lipcote. With it's original, long-last formula, it'll keep your lips looking luscious and kissable all day long. No wonder it's used by millions worldwide- including professional make-up artists and celebrities. The No.1 Lipstick Sealer stops lipstick staining and feather".

Strangely, directions for use are written on the inside of the packaging, so for first time users of the product you will need to rip the box open. It is near-on impossible to do this without tearing the box right across were the instructions are making reading them very difficult. Luckily, using Lipcote it is not rocket science.

You need to apply your lipstick as you would usually before blotting with a tissue. At this point you can either apply another coat of lipstick for longer lasting results, or if you want just get straight on with the Lipcote. The directions say you should apply the lipstick sealer around the outer lips first before filling in the bits in the middle.

The Lipcote itself is packaged in a small transparent container with a screw top red lid. To those unaware of the product it may look like nail polish as the packaging is very similar. The brush is also the same as used with nail polish for easy application.

The product itself is colourless. It has quite a strong smell which reminds me of vodka strangely.

I found Lipcote was very easy to apply. It does feel strange at first as I am not used to apply a product to my lips with a brush. However it really is very simple to do, and takes just a couple of seconds.

Initially my lips felt a little sticky, but this disappeared within seconds. The lipstick I use is not particularly glossy, but having used Lipcote I was left with a slight sheen. Other than this, the lipstick sealer did not affect the lipstick at all. I thought it may alter the colour slightly, perhaps making it appear darker, but this was not the case.

For a few seconds after application my lips felt tingly. This was not at all painful or uncomfortable as it sometimes is after using one of the lip pumper products. Lipcote say the tingling sensation means the product is working.

I applied my lipstick, along with the Lipcote first thing in the morning, and my lipstick was still visible at lunch time. For a cheap lipstick that usually wears off within an hour I was very impressed.

I have used the product on several occasions since, and results have been equally good. I have found the product works perfectly until eating or drinking, when it separates and looks a bit of a mess. It begins to rub off in little bits and looks pretty gross. It also doesn't taste very nice. I never noticed this until I came to eat, and it did make my food taste strange. I would recommend removing lipstick with a makeup wipe before eating, both to prevent the disgusting taste and to stop it turning into a bit of a mess.

Lipcote Lipstick Sealer is priced at around £3 for 7ml. I was expecting such an innovative product to have a much larger price tag and was surprised and just how cheap it is. I have used the product a few times now and the bottle still looks completely full, so I have a feeling Lipcote will last me a while. Having said that, when it does eventually run out I will definitely be replacing it, and it is now a must for my handbag!